Homelessness Awareness Months Kicks Off By Honoring 3 Advocates

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative will mark the beginning of National Homelessness Awareness Month with its inaugural House Hillsborough Recognition Breakfast Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 a.m. at the University Club, 201 N. Franklin St., 38th Floor, Tampa.

During the event, the organization will recognize three people: retired Hillsborough County AdmMike Merrill, Cal Reed of Housing Steps Forward and community leaders, th late Guy King III. All three have worked tirelessly to create solutions to decrease the number of homelessness in Hillsborough County.

To honor their efforts, THHI will award $30,000 to an organization that continues to drive down homelessness and create transformational change in Hillsborough County.

The breakfast will also serve as the kickoff to THHI’s .1% Challenge. Based upon the findings of the 2022 Point-In-Time (PIT) Count, .1 percent of Hillsborough County residents will sleep in a shelter, on the streets or in places not meant for human habitation.

With the community’s help, THHI hopes to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring by asking everyone in the community to give .1% of their salary, THHI said it would be able to house most of the county's vulnerable residents. To donate, click here.